Have you ever wondered whether it is possible to see the world without leaving your hometown? Come find out at the world premiere of “Around the World in Raleigh,” a short film that highlights the diversity of North Carolina's capital. The Nicholas Sparks Foundation teamed up with International Focus and acclaimed filmmakers Marco Williams and Danielle Beverly to create this short film, in which seven high school students take each other on a tour of places that are special to their heritage. After the premiere, we’ll hear the reactions of the student participants, who will be seeing the completed film for the first time. Refreshments will also be available for purchase.

A student delegation of 13 teenagers ages 15-18 and 2 adult chaperones from Iraq will be in the Triangle area for a Youth Leadership Program August 6 – 20, 2015. The program is under the auspices of the U.S.A. Department of State, World Learning and International Focus, Inc.

The objective of the program is to promote mutual understanding between people of the USA and Iraq by promoting interaction with peers and families, service learning activities at universities and other facilities, and the creation of a service project to implement upon returning to Iraq. They will also participate in cultural outings, social gatherings and recreational activities. Thus, we hope to inspire and create a new generation of globally-minded leaders.

We are in need of families to host our guests (1-2 / household) for all or part of the duration of their visit. Host families would be expected to provide; breakfast and dinner daily, a place to sleep and weekday transportation to and from a designated location, probably near Crabtree Valley Mall, Raleigh. Host families are free to entertain their guests as they please, for the weekends during their visit.

If you or anyone you know, would be interested in participating, please contact:

Mrs. Maria Adoskina, Program Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

Moldova has just had Parliament elections. Nine newly elected parliamentarians have been through Open World hosted by International Focus.

The Open World Program, a U.S. Congress-authorized program managed by the Open World Leadership Center and locally administered by International Focus, Inc., brings emerging community leaders to the United States for 10-day networking visits to observe U.S. democracy and free enterprise in action.

IVLP Home Hospitality offers you the opportunity to host small dinner events in your home for two to four visitors. Individuals and families are invited to volunteer as hosts and may be needed at any time throughout the year as delegations visit NC nearly every month.

Home Hospitality isn't complicated. There's no need to plan anything particularly fancy, as the goal is simply that you share your warmth, interest, and dinner hospitality with our international guests. These dinners areinvariably lively, enjoyable exchanges, and we keep them small in size not just to limit the host's burden of preparation, but also to foster more extensive dialogue.

A home hospitality dinner may take many forms: a family-style dinner with immediate family and/or close friends, a potluck, or a picnic where you bring the dinner to share. What matters most is a spirit of warm, welcoming hospitality.

Note that hosts must pick up their dinner guests at their hotel before dinner, and drop them back at the hotel afterward. For more information, please contact IVLP Program Director, Leila Bekri at 919-782-0552 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Our very own Leila Bekri was featured in Sunday's News & Observer as the Tar Heel of the Week. Learn all about this unique woman who leads our International Visitor Leadership Program.

"She's really an institution in herself," she says. "She has such a way with the visitors and she takes her work so seriously. She put a lot of effort into creating programs that include everything possible that would be relevant, and she is so well-respected in D.C. I'm not sure this would still be going without her.